The Other City
by danielpetiteamie
Summary: Blueberry Muffin discovers there's another city out their just like theirs, but with counterparts. The Berry Bitty Girls and Huck rush to find it, but they face challenges. Monster attacks and turning into teens are only the beginning...Can the girls, along with Huck and their new friends from the other city defeat this newly found foe before it reaches home?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I own nothing except for the storyline, and the new characters.**

The sun shone brightly down on Berry Bitty City. The birds sang in the trees and squirrels chased each other around for nuts.

At a certain café in town, a red haired girl opened the oven door. "Hmm…..it was supposed to rise, Pupcake! And I added a kilo of baking soda," she asked a green patched dog. Pupcake whined at rubbed himself against the girl's foot. "What – oh, fine! But this is your seventh and LAST treat, silly!" the girl giggled as she dropped another treat to him.

The café bell tinkled, and four girls came in. "Hey, Strawberry Shortcake!" a purple haired girl cried.

"Hey, Plum! You need anything?" Strawberry smiled. It was clear these were her friends.

A latina clad in orange piped up. "That's alright, Strawberry. We're just here for, you know, Blueberry's 'Extra Book Club'." Every girl sighed. Their super-smart friend Blueberry Muffin had been acting really weird lately. Their book club meetings usually were every once a week, at night, but the genius had insisted that they have an extra meeting this week at the café.

Strawberry, usually the optimist, sighed as well. "Well, I'll just do the register then," she suggested. When nobody objected, she picked up a list of names from her counter. "Raspberry Torte?" A fashionable girl with hot pink hair raised her hand. "What did you read this week?" "Oh, um, I think I forgot," Raspberry said in a high pitched voice. "Lemon Meringue?" The girl wasn't called Lemon Meringue for nothing – she had a lemon shaped hair clip. "I read 1000 Ways to Tie Your Hair. I don't need to describe that, do I?" Lemon fretted as she saw her friends facepalm. "Straw – oh no, that's me," they all laughed as Strawberry ticked her name off.

Soon they got to the last person on the list. "Blueberry Muffin?" The girl wasn't there yet.

Plum groaned. "She told us to come here, but SHE'S late. Would somebody –"

She was interrupted as the café door was flung open. Everybody stared. Azure hair, aqua eyes, the lilac-stitched headband on her head.

"Sorry I'm late," Blueberry Muffin panted as Strawberry ticked her name off. Strawberry started," Did you read – " but stopped when she saw Blueberry holding a giant book. "Never mind."

"You won't believe what I've found out from The History of Berry Bitty City," Blueberry said excitedly.

"That Pupcake's family were caterpillars or something?" Orange said skeptically. Blueberry had had many of these false cases.

"There's another town like Berry Bitty City, and we used to be one big town, but for an unknown reason we split up and became two cities far away from each other." Blueberry concluded.

At first there was a shocked silence from the five others. Then they started hurling questions at her. "What are the people like there?" "What do they wear?" "Do they dance?"

Finally Blueberry yelled, "I DON'T KNOW!" When they had quieted down she continued in her normal voice," All I know is that over there, only five are human."

"That's a relief," sighed Orange.

"But they're all boys."


	2. Chapter 2

The six girls sat on a train to Berry Big City. They had to pick up their friend Huckleberry Pie, because they all agreed with what Strawberry had said," Well, Huck should know how to communicate with them.

Huck had already been informed by phone and he had seemed…." really excited " was how Blueberry had put it. She could still hear the voice on the other end.

"OTHER BOYS! OMGOMGOMGOMG….."

The train slid to a halt. The six young girls jumped off with their backpacks and caught two hummingbirds to take them to Huck's pet shop.

Huck was waiting with his own backpack. "Hey, Huck," greeted Blueberry warmly. The other five girls grinned at each other behind the blue haired girl's back. They'd always known Huck was closest to Blueberry out of all of them.

"You ready to go?" Raspberry asked Huck.

"Yeah, sure!" Huck smiled. "Let's go!"

Five hours later, the train to the border of the Berry Cities stopped. The sun was touching the horizon, struggling to send out its last rays. Seven silhouettes stood there silently, taking in the moment.

Finally Lemon broke the silence. "We should camp out here for the night," she suggested.

They broke into groups - Strawberry and Lemon in the first tent, Orange, Raspberry and Plum in the second, Blueberry alone because she had to "stay late to read more about the other city" and Huck, well, obviously alone as well.

Slowly all the lights turned off inside each tent except for one. Even though his light was off, Huck was awake as he watched Blueberry's shadow flip a page.

"How is this going to turn out?" he wondered sleepily to himself and Blueberry finally closed the book and the light diminished.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I own nothing except for the storyline, and the new characters.**

The next day the seven of them woke bright and early. They each had half an apple, then set off.

"We're really leaving the Berry Cities," Plum said.

"Yes, we are! But no matter what we might have to face, we'll do it together!" cried Strawberry.

The others cheered and for a few hours or so the trekked through piney woods. They stopped to rest once every half an hour. By the time they'd been walking for five hours, Orange had a bruised arm from tripping on a rock, Huck had three mosquito bites on each arm, Lemon had leg cramp and Blueberry's ankle was bleeding from a thorn bush.

"Let's rest for a while," puffed Raspberry.

They sat at the edge of the forest and shared some food. Orange, being her usual calculative self, said," Not too much, or we won't have enough until we reach the other city."

Suddenly there was a gasp from Lemon. "Um, uh, guys, you, uh, really ought to see this," she stammered, pointing over the edge of the cliff.

The others climbed carefully over and stared with unbelieving eyes at what lay before them.

The beautiful green grass and apple trees continued on for around five miles, then abruptly stopped at a deep gouge in the ground. Beyond that, there was only stone, stone, and stone to be seen. Blueberry could even make out a slight puff of volcanic ash in the distance.

She turned to her friends. They were all looking at her.

"What? Don't stare at me," said Blueberry, who was starting to feel uncomfortable with so many eyes on her.

"Blue, you were the one who led us out here, and who knows the most about the other city. Can you lead us through that?" Huck pointed to the volcanic puffs.

The blue haired girl sighed. She turned back to the black stones.

"Guys," she stated. "We've got a long way to go." 


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I own nothing except for the storyline, and the new characters.**

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Plum, Orange and Huck covered the ears and winced as Lemon kept screaming.

"Why are we so tall?! Our shoulders are wider than our heads! Why do I have pig-" the others heaved sighs of relief as Lemon Meringue stopped screaming and flicked her new pigtails. "Ooooh, pretty!" she giggled.

They had just crossed the scar in the ground separating the lush grass from the black stones. An extraordinary change had happened. As soon as both their feet were on the other side, they'd been lifted up and surrounded by sparkles of their own color. Blueberry's sparkles were electric and azure blue, Huck's sparkles navy, Raspberry's hot pink and so on. When the sparkles had disappeared, they'd become taller and…basically the things that Lemon had said.

What they didn't know that if anyone saw them now, they'd be called teenagers.

Huck glanced at Blueberry. He hated to admit it, as he always told himself Blueberry was just a friend, but the teenager looked even better now.

Blueberry Muffin had lost her original blue hair. Instead, she'd gained a bluish-brown braid down to beneath her shoulder blades. Her headband sat as usual on her head, but it was thinner and it did not have its old knit-theme. Blueberry's bangs swept over her forehead to her left ear. She was still the whitest and still the most slender one of them all, though, and she wore a tight, long sleeved lilac T-shirt under a short sleeved electric blue shirt. Her green tights came down to the middle of her shins and she wore blue Converses.

Strawberry said," Well, let's just get some sleep first. We've been walking for five miles, and besides, I'm sure the transformation will disappear when we find the other city and cross the scar again."

"I don't think so Strawberry," Plum whimpered. Everybody turned to look at her. Plum walked backwards and across the scar back onto the green land. She stayed a teenager.

Far, far away in Berry Bitty City, Mr. Longface caterpillar was tending to his flowers when he heard seven faint voices yelling the same word:

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Sorry for not updating for so long, I was on holiday. Again, I own nothing except for the storyline and the new characters.**

The silence was unnerving.

At least that was what Blueberry thought. After sleeping through the night in their new bodies, they had breakfast and walked for one whole hour. Without speaking.

Even though the silence was unnerving, Blueberry had studied everyone's new looks and jotted the down in her notebook, starting with Strawberry.

Their former unofficial leader had long red hair to her waist and the same strawberry cap set off a bit on her head. A dash of freckles across her nose brought out the most in the emerald green eyes. Strawberry's white blouse had a cute little strawberry sitting at the hem, right on top of her pink miniskirt. She had polished red, flat Mary Janes on her feet.

Raspberry's clothes were quite different from her clothes in Berry Bitty Bitty City... A linden green tank top with a raspberry on one shoulder covered her torso, and a hot pink petticoat came down to her knees. She wore hot pink espadrilles with a green stripe on each one that matched her outfit. The biggest change in her was her shoulder-length, auburn hair. Blueberry secretly thought she looked much better like this.

Orange was the only one out of them who looked exactly like her Latina self. The only difference was that her shoes were flats.

Blueberry could not get accustomed to Plum's new curly black hair in her trademark high ponytail. _Well, I'll have to eventually,_ Blueberry sighed inwardly. _Along with her lilac cardigan, baby blue leotard, and knee length plum tutu._

Huck looked unbelievably good. He wasn't hot, but he sure was good looking. _Don't think about that_. He was almost like his old form, just tanner and more muscular (Like way more muscular. He had a six pack!). He wore a navy blue hoodie and dark jeans.

It was only when they sat down for the night did the silence end.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Blueberry sat up immediately, almost bonking her head on the roof of her tent. She raced over to Raspberry's tent, where the sound had come from. When she got there she sighed in relief and the urge not to face palm.

Raspberry had found that they had new pajamas in their bags. Blueberry looked closer. They were plain shirts and trousers, in Raspberry's trademark linden and hot pink design. A raspberry was sewed neatly onto her left pants leg.

It seemed that they all had this design in their bags, just in their main two colors.

Blueberry changed, then found that she couldn't sleep. Finally she got up and read for an hour before lying down to sleep again.

Little did she know that the male in their group was watching her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I own nothing but the storyline**

"Hey, time to get up."

Blueberry yawned then sat up and looked at Plum, who'd stuck her head in. "Oh, okay. I'm coming," she murmured. She dressed in her clothes then took her stuff out of the tent.

As she packed her tent, she listened to the other's conversation. Orange had a new pimple between her eyebrows. But the most disturbing thing of the morning was Huck's news.

"You said you _saw _lava in the holes?" Blueberry asked as she struggled with one of the poles.

Huck shrugged. "Like I said, I was just taking a stroll ahead." He pointed to a spot of orange on the horizon. "It's not as far as it looks," he added quickly when he saw the looks on his friends' faces. "There are lots of black stone mounds that send out black smoke clouds every few minutes. When I looked in one, I saw this bubbling lava floating around. So I ran back to tell you guys."

_He's definitely getting more athletic_, Blueberry thought. _None of us could run that far._

"So, let's go ahead and have a look then?" she asked nervously. She expected Raspberry or Lemon to refuse, but when no one made a sound, she and Huck took the lead at the front.

They hadn't talked much since the transformation, so now they walked in awkward silence. Blueberry could feel Huck trying to say something, but failing to actually come up with anything. She felt the same way.

"Um, so, uh, how do you like the, like, new forms?" Blueberry asked awkwardly.

"It's gate – I mean, uh, crate – no!" Huck face palmed. "I meant it's great."

Blueberry giggled. "I think you look great as well," she whispered to herself.

"What was that again?"

"Oh, nothing," she said quickly. Huck had only heard "I think you look" so he started fretting inside his mind. _She thinks I look horrible? Too flashy? Maybe…__**good? **__Stop that! _He told himself firmly_. She likes you as a friend, dork. Don't get overexcited._

* * *

They'd been walking between the lava mounds for a while now. The seven had learned that before spitting clouds of smoke in your face, the mounds would give a loud hiss first. Then you'd have to back up and crash into your friends then narrowly avoid the smoke.

Suddenly they all heard a huge roar from behind one of the mounds. A huge beast jumped out.

It wasn't like anything Blueberry had seen before. It had sharp fangs and black fur with green socks. But the scariest thing was its eyes. It had these blue eyes so much like a pretty girl's that if a boy walked past he would be instantly attracted.

That was Huck's case, unfortunately. He was walking slowly towards the monster, which was already savoring its next meal.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

Blueberry wanted to be the first person to yell that but Orange beat her to it. "Don't you DARE eat Huckleberry, Mister," she said to the beast sternly.

It just tilted its head mid-growl, like _whaaaat are you doing?_

"Orange.." Strawberry started.

"And don't look at me like that. You are being very, very naughty, young man," Orange scolded. The beast whimpered and put its paw over its nose.

Blueberry couldn't believe it! Orange was charmspeaking the monster like Piper McLean from the Heroes of Olympus! _Wait, the Heroes of Olympus? What's that?_ Blueberry had the vague feeling it was a book series she really liked. _Maybe the counterpart of Patty Persimmon?_

"I'm sorry," Orange was saying. "But please be a good boy, or, um girl and go back to where you came from."

The monster cooed then lumbered back behind the mound. Once Huck couldn't see its eyes, he stiffened then took a deep breath. When he'd recovered, the first thing he said was,"That was weird. Thanks for saving my skin there, Orange."

"No problem, Huck." said Orange. "although I still don't get my new - "

"SUPERPOWERS!" shrieked Raspberry. "Oh, this is AMAZING! You can persuade people to do whatever you want them to now!"

Orange grinned sheepishly. "Nah, I won't do that to you guys, trust me. Well," Orange pondered for a moment before a devilish smile spread across her face, "Maybe just a bit, like give-me-your-dessert-when-back-in-Berry-Bitty-City persuasion." Everyone laughed.

That night was the first night they needed someone on watch.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note: I own nothing but the storyline, and the new characters. Warning: This is a fanfic based on Blueberry and Huck. For fans of Strawberry, Raspberry, Plum, Lemon, and Orange, don't worry. There will still be moments when they star, but definitely not as much as the two mentioned.**

**_A week of walking aimlessly towards the horizon, night watch shifts, blue-eye attacks (that's what they decided to call Orange's first charmspeak victim) later..._**

Huck had been watching Blueberry all day.

She'd been writing and writing in her cute little font on her blueberry notebook and looking up every now and then at the others. Huck had looked over her shoulder once.. She'd written: _Orange's charmspeak probably will come in handy when she's with her customers back in Berry Bitty City. So that's how the powers are planned! One for each personality...would mine be super organisation?_

Huck personally thought her superpower would be observation or something.

Strawberry's yell brought Huck back from the thoughts. "Look!" she cried, pointing at the horizon.

There was a little fuzzy green line sitting right on the vanishing point. Blueberry opened her book. "Strawberry's right! The city is supposed to have an iron fence with vines growing on it. That must be the green tint!"

They celebrated and jumped up and down for ages until Huck spoke up,"Um, maybe we should just get in there."

Raspberry giggled sheepishly. "Maybe we were getting a bit out of hand," she admitted.

* * *

"Um, hello? Anybody?" Blueberry called nervously into the shadows on the other side of the vine fence.

"Give it up, no one's there." Plum was trying to climb the fence.

Strawberry sighed. "Plum, oh please do come down. You'll frighten the people inside."

"Like I said, there's no one there -"

"Who's there?" a deep voice said from inside the shadows.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" they all screamed, apart from Huck.

"We're from another city like yours that is hundreds of miles away," said Huck. "Oh, and Orange here has got superpowers."

There was an awkward silence before the owner of the voice stepped out.

First they saw a pair of army green combat boots. Then a pair of black pants, and a dark green sweater. Finally his face appeared. He had tanned skin and a pair of dark, searching green eyes.

"You're humans?" he said finally.

Huck laughed. "I like this dude's sense of humor. Come on, man! 'Course we're humans. I'm Huckleberry Pie, but just call me Huck. This is Blueberry Muffin," he said in a moony tone that only Blue didn't notice. Everyone else stifled a stupid grin, and the

"Hi. Nice to meet you."

After introducing themselves, they all jumped when they heard a roar not too far behind them. They couldn't see anything, but the teenage boy fiddled with something out of their sight on the ground and a tiny area of fence swung open as a door.

"Get inside!" hissed the boy. When Huck and Blueberry just stared blankly he yelled,"Now!"

They rushed inside immediately. Just as the boy slammed the door shut and locked wait with seven different keys, a huge beast leapt out of the shadows on the other side. "Get down!" Blueberry heard the boy's shout and dropped to the ground so hard she heard a slapping sound.

When the monster had gone, the boy turned to them and held out his hand.

"My name is Avocado Smoothie. Welcome to the City in the Ash."


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I do not own anything but the storyline and the new characters.**

_It's been such a long time since we've had visitors._

_Especially not such beautiful young ladies as you..._

_Please stay with us. Stay...STAY!_

Blueberry sat up in her bed so fast that she pulled her neck muscle. Burning pain shot through her neck and the back of her head and she writhed around on the bed in agony for a few seconds before the pain faded. She took a deep breath, then tried to recall her nightmare. An eerily quiet voice...the shadows upon her...a gut instinct to run, but finding her feet were stuck in place...

She sighed and stood up, yawning hugely. Blueberry heaved herself to her small private bathroom and started to wash and get dressed.

After being introduced to Avocado (who Strawberry took an abnormal amount of interest in), he'd led them around the city. Most of the people there didn't smile and wave, like they did in Berry Bitty City. Instead, the citizens of the City in the Ash nodded solemnly like this was their last day. When Lemon pointed this out, Avocado had stared at her so fiercely she cowered. Then he apologized.

"Sorry. It's just that, well..."

"Yes?" Blueberry had put in.

"You never know if it might actually be their last day."

"WHAT?!" Orange cried.

Avocado put a hand to his eyes, like he'd seen too much sorrow and he didn't want to see more. "Each day, another citizen dies. Either of sickness, of starvation and dehydration, or of monster attacks while out looking for food."

"Then why look outside? Grow food in here, then," said Huck.

"We don't have enough space. We've already limited the monster attacks by closing our space in."

Raspberry interjected,"But doesn't that give the monsters more space to live in and more space to corner you?"

"You don't know where they're going to spawn."

"_Spawn?_" the seven of them echoed.

Avocado explained. "They appear in a puff of dust. Wherever space is, they take it up. Now we don't have gardens, extra space, nothing! All because it's too dangerous. Our city is doomed!"

"Oh, lighten up for once, Avocado," a breezy voice said.

They all spun around.

Another teenage boy stood behind them. He had tousled light blond hair and lime green eyes. He wore a white running jacket, a grey turtleneck, black-and-neon-yellow cargos and pale yellow running shoes.

Avocado seemed to brighten up in this boy's presence. "Hi, Lime. Everybody," he waved a hand towards the new boy,"this is Lime Soda, one of my best friends."

"Pleased to meet you," seven voices chorused.

Lime started flirting almost immediately. "Hey, pretty," he said lightly to Lemon, who blushed and murmured something about hairbrushes.

Suddenly they were interrupted by a dark-skinned boy in brown and white running up to them. "Avocado! Avoca - pant - do, you - gasp - have - to-"

Avocado stiffened. "What is it, Coconut Rum?"

Coconut shouted,"BLUE EYE ATTACK!"

* * *

**Sorry to leave you guys on cliffhanger. Just writing short to make sure my mom doesn't see me...**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: I own nothing but the new characters and the storyline.**

There really were five boys in the whole city. Avocado Smoothie, Lime Soda and Coconut Rum they'd already met. (And also unfortunately for Strawberry, Lemon and Orange, fallen in love with). The other two were Melon Squash and Apple Milkshake.

Melon's name should have been Watermelon. He wore a dark green and darker still striped shirt under a denim jacket. He had dark red shorts that came down under his knees, and green Crocs.

Apple wore a light red sweater and peach sport pants. He was always seen with a beige sports cap on his strawberry blond hair and dark red shoes.

Raspberry had sniffed at Melon when the girls had their nightly gathering in Plum's room.

"That boy has _absolutely _no sense of style," she'd said haughtily. "Two shades of green! Unbelievable. Green and red would go _much _better."

Together, the twelve teenagers had decided that the six girls and Huck would have to stay until it was definitely safe to go out. Strawberry had tried to contact Princess Berrykin with her phone, but there was no signal.

"Oh well. At least we have each other," she'd sighed, being the optimist as usual.

Blueberry turned in her bed. She hadn't been able to sleep for the past few nights, so she read or wrote stories in the middle of the night by lamplight. She'd also caught a cold, because winter had come and she since hadn't expected to be out of Berry Bitty City so long, she hadn't brought a jacket or shawl of any sort.

Raspberry and Lemon had offered theirs, but she'd refused and has said,"Come on, you girls. You might need them too!" Orange had tried using her persuasive powers to get Blueberry to take the shawls, but it seemed that Blueberry was the only one who could resist her powers.

Now she wished she'd accepted the offer.

Blueberry couldn't stand it anymore. She got up and placed her feet gently onto the cold floor, and walked over to the mirror hanging on the wall.

Your name is Blueberry Muffin, she told herself. You are eighteen years old, and you're not the same Blueberry Muffin who wrote Strawberry's script when she was elected Berryfest Princess. You're not the Blueberry who gave her 100 Ways to Arrange Shelves to Lemon.

Lost in her own tragic thoughts, the brunette didn't notice the cloud of pink fog drifting towards her until it wrapped itself around her face.

Blueberry fell with a quiet thud onto the ground, not moving.

* * *

**Ooooh, cliffhanger! I'll try to write more now, but I can't guarantee. Thanks for reading this chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: Remember, I don't own anything. Apart from the new characters and the storyline. **

Huck raced down the hallway, a navy blue handkerchief tied over his mouth.

The corridors of Avocado's house were already filled with the deadly pink fog. Huck had discovered this when he saw Lime drop to the ground in front of his own eyes. He'd quickly shoved Lime into a cupboard so as not to inhale more of the poison, then tied his huckleberry embroidered handkerchief over his mouth and nose.

Huck coughed. The poison was seeping through his handkerchief enough to annoy him.

But he knew he had to find he others, no matter what.

_Especially Blueberry, _a little voice whispered at the back of his mind_. Shut up, _he said to it.

He pounded on Orange's door. There was no answer. He backed up, rushed at the door, and somehow it gave way to a huge crash.

_Wow_, Huck thought. _My strength really has improved._

"Orange!" he called hoarsely into the pink gloom. "Are you okay?"

A muffled reply. "Here!" Orange ran out of the pink darkness and into Huck. "Oh, sorry!" she apologized.

"Where's Blueberry?" Huck asked quickly.

Even the orange towel over her mouth couldn't hide Orange's stupid grin. "Oh, someone's got his hair twisted about a certain _somebody_," she teased.

A banging noise interrupted Huck's torture. "Help, somebody, and no, I'm not joking," came Plum's voice.

After helping Plum, Lemon, and Strawberry, Blueberry and Raspberry were nowhere to be seen.

"They're not in their rooms," reported Plum.

"Oh, where could they _be_?" fretted Lemon through three hairbrushes.

"Don't worry," said Huck. "We'll find them both." Especially Blueberry. Especially Blueberry. Oh, shut up, me, thought Huck.

Suddenly, a fresh blast of pink fog came from the tunnel leading up to the tower of the inn. "Up there!" Huck yelled. Before waiting to see if any of them were following, he leapt onto the iron staircase at the end of the tunnel and started to climb.

What he saw at the top made him stop dead in his tracks.

Blueberry was sitting, dazed with the pink fog, just outside a swirling tornado of pink poison. She looked like she'd just woken from breathing in the poison, which she probably had.

Huck ran to her and hugged her gently. "You ok?" he asked quietly in her ear.

Blueberry snuggled closer to Huck and pointed into the middle of the tornado.

A dark pink figure stood in the middle of the deadly hurricane. Huck braced himself and stepped into the tornado just as the others came up.

He could hear their cries, but they seemed so far away. All he could focus on now was the silence in the eye of the hurricane and the girl that stood there.

"Raspberry." It was not a statement he spoke, nor a question, but an invitation. A silent invitation. _Stop the tornado._

The hurricane slowed to a stop then evaporated into the cool night air. Raspberry crumpled to the ground and was caught by Strawberry and Lemon, who carried her limp form back down the stairs.

Blueberry was already back to normal and taking notes in her blue notebook that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"Raspberry: powers of poisonous fog and maybe liquid. Further proof needed." Huck read aloud. "Really?"

"You never know," said Blueberry, and pouted so cutely that Huck had no choice whatsoever but to hug her again and ask her the typical questions.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's note: I do not own anything apart from the storyline and the new characters.**

Blueberry yelled,"Yes, Raspberry! Hit it in the eye! Orange, 7 o'clock! 7 o'clock!"

Raspberry and Orange both concentrated their powers on the blue-eye. It squealed as the mixture of poison and persuasion enveloped it, then dropped lifeless onto the ground.

The two seventeen year olds high-fived, then quickly ran into the safe city whose iron door Blueberry was holding open.

After the discovery of Raspberry's powers, the city had held a meeting, with Avocado as the main speaker.

"I think that we should let Raspberry and Orange practise and learn to control their powers. But how?" he asked for emphasis.

"Perhaps we could call on them to help whenever a monster is attacking," said Melon.

Back in Plum's room for their girl meeting, Raspberry had given all the girls a nasty piece of her mind about Melon. She...well, Blueberry had never heard her swear seven times in a sentence.

Huck had started training with the other boys. "Training" was basically punching, kicking, shooting, and all the stuff that girls were not one bit interested in.

Blueberry, Raspberry and Orange went to Strawberry's room for lunch. When they opened the door, the other three girls glanced at them, said "Hi, you ok, how many blue-eyes this time, Orange" and handed them their share of lamb stew.

Strawberry, though, didn't give Blueberry lamb stew. Instead, she handed her a little basket with blueberry muffins and huckleberry pies in it.

"I suppose you're going to see Huck again," she said.

"Yeah. I'll tell him you guys made this," Blueberry replied. "See you!" she called.

"Bye!" the others waved as Blueberry ducked outside and shut the door.

She skipped down the street, singing softly under her breath. "Under the oak tree, there lies a chest. In the chest, is the treasure you're thinking of."

Blueberry skipped around a car whose bee driver yelled at her, and neatly over a crate of oranges. The air smelled of shepherd's pie, and a little ladybug carried a fresh honey bun out of a bakery.

It was hard to believe that this city was dangerous, that every day it was attacked by grotesque monsters, that Blueberry and her friends didn't belong here.

It reminded her of Berry Bitty City.

Blueberry quickly ducked into an alley, sunk to the dirt ground, and drew her knees up to her chest. Lately, she'd have to keep telling herself not to think of her old home. She just got more and more homesick. And the same nightmare that appeared to her kept on repeating itself, night after night after night. Blueberry was afraid for her sanity.

Always a room full of mirrors. Looking behind her shoulder while running into a wall. Turning around just in time to see the corner of a flapping, empty robe rise behind her.

"Blueberry!"

Blueberry screamed, half from her own thoughts and half from the familiar voice that startled her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's okay," cried Huck, wrapping his muscled arms around her. "It's just me," he said gently.

Blueberry took a shaky breath. "Bookworms on ladders, you scared me."

Huck pouted cutely. "So - wy," he cooed in a baby voice. He perked up on seeing the basket. "Oooooh, is that for me?"

Blueberry smiled. "Yeah, but I was planning to take it to the training centre. You're out early, though," she added, glancing at her blueberry watch. (She'd had it tailor-made in a watch shop run by an old berrykin in the City in the Ash.)

Huck grinned. "Yeah, mostly because I almost smashed the dummy for training. Well, technically I beheaded it," he admitted,"but Coconut had to fix it, so...yeah, pretty much," Huck concluded, and shrugged.

"_Beheaded?_"

He looked uncomfortable. "I was just swinging my fist, and then I didn't notice, but I was aiming for the separation in its neck, and - well -"

"Ok, I think I get it," Blueberry said, laughing.

Huck smiled in obvious relief. "Yeah," he said. Her laughing finally caught him, and they laughed themselves silly in a pretty little side alley under mistletoe.

Blueberry finally regained her calm attitude. "Did I wish you a Merry Christmas yet?" she asked.

Huck smirked. "No," he said. "So whad'you get me for Christmas?" A kiss? he thought. Oh, just SHUT UP, me, he thought.

"Don't worry, I did get you something," teased Blueberry. She brought out a long, neatly wrapped package (clearly wrapped by Blueberry herself, no one else could be that neat).

"Go on, open it!" she encouraged, when Huck stared at it.

He took it in his hands and unfolded layer after layer. Finally, he could feel something hard poking through the paper. He glanced at Blueberry, who nodded.

Huck pulled the present by something that felt like a handle, and found himself looking at a gold sword.

It had a shining gold blade, honed to a deadly edge. Huck ran a finger down the side of the blade, and looked at his finger. A thin line of red blood ran from his fingernail to his knuckle. He could hear Blueberry saying,"You idiot! What was that for? Good that I brought a bandage," but he was still studying the sword. The leather grip fit his fingers perfectly, and the weight was just right for him.

A thought struck him. Does Blue really know me that well? he thought. Maybe she does, dork. That's a good thing, Huck told himself. Not like he didn't know.

Huck thanked Blueberry fifty-two times, as Blueberry counted, before they reached the inn.

* * *

**Did you like this chapter? Blueberry's song is just something I made up in five seconds, so don't bother searching it up.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note: I don't - oh, you get the drill.**

Blueberry pressed her face anxiously between the iron bars of the city fence. "Be careful, Lemon!" she called nervously.

Lemon barely dodged the blue-eye's snapping jaws. "I'm fine!" she called back.

Blueberry sighed.

Lemon Meringue had always been the sweet, scared girl in _their_ group. So when she volunteered to help Raspberry and Orange, she probably surprised herself as well. She didn't have her powers yet, but Blue had a feeling that she was going to get them soon.

Blueberry watched as Lemon sat down, exhausted, on the ground. The injured blue-eye ran off into the distance.

Then time seemed to slow. Blueberry stared, horrified, as suddenly an ugly lump of living meat leapt up towards Lemon.

The creature had angry red eyes, and thick yellowish-red fur. Two horns pointed menacingly out of its - forehead, was it? Blueberry couldn't possibly know - and looks like over sized toothpicks.

"Lemon!" she screamed.

Then a white figure ran so fast past her she stumbled and fell on her _back._

* * *

I'm just running towards her, my whip in my hand. I don't know if I can reach her in time.

Please don't turn around, Lemon, I think. Th _damage_ from those horns will probably kill her instantly either way, but she has a tiny chance it they stab her from the back.

No. Lemon can't die. She can't leave her friends, her city, this city, the boys in this city. She can't leave me.

Yes! I think as I close two meters. I lash out with my whip, and the toothpick (that's what we call them) roars in agony.

I drag Lemon, who's fainted, into my arms. The toothpick scampers painfully into the distance.

Blueberry, who I ran past and knocked over, gapes at me.

"_Lime_?!"

* * *

Blueberry fought to keep a straight face as Lime smiled at Lemon across the dining table.

After he saved her, they'd started to get really, really close. Almost as close as Blueberry herself and Huck. Of course, there's a difference since me and Huck are not in love, and they are, she thought logically. Right?

Plum had complained, "She barely spends any time with us anymore. All her time wasted on a guy."

The other girls had giggled, and like normal teenage girls, they'd started to gossip about the boys.

Avocado sighed as he reached across the table to impale an olive with his fork. "Two berrykins dead this week."

Apple winced. "Berrykin Built was a nice guy."

Avocado looked so stressed, Blueberry couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

Strawberry came to the rescue. "Death may come, but life goes on," she said to Avocado. "Don't give up. If there is hope for our city, there is hope for yours. We can help you. Can't we girls? And, er, boy?" she added hastily as Huck glared at her playfully.

Avocado smiled, and there was genuine happiness for once. "You messed up the last part."

Strawberry glared at him. "I'm trying to make a moving speech here," then her voice cracked with laughter and all twelve teenagers laughed so hard Coconut had to get up and out of the room to calm down. When he came back, they were still laughing, and this triggered another round of laughter, so he had to go back again.

After they'd all calmed down, and Coconut had made his way back for the third time, Huck started mouthing something at Blueberry.

_What?_ \- she mouthed back.

Huck mouthed it more forcefully, and she could finally make out the words. _Avocado and Strawberry are probably going to hang out the whole night._

_Oh. _Blueberry thought about it, then thought about it again, and then started laughing.

* * *

Far, far, away, a figure standing in the shadows fidgeted. "Hmmm...powers developing, you say?" The figure had a deep, rumbling tone, but it barely seemed like he was more than a teenager.

The scaly but human-shaped creature in front of him nodded. "Yes, sir. Blossom and Torte killed one of our soldiers yesterday, and today that Soda boy wounded one of our longhorns."

The figure's face couldn't be seen, but it was obvious that he was wincing. "OK. Thank you, Lizian Arvin."

Lizian Arvin bowed, and backed out of the dimly lit room. The figure stood in silence for a moment, then walked to a door in the wall. He opened it, and it creaked slowly.

The next room was a cell. A prison cell. The figure entered the room, and glanced at the teenage girl bound and gagged in the wooden chair in the middle of the cell.

She had black hair tied in a messy bun, and through the ropes she wore a dark pink shirt, below a sparkly purple jacket. She also wore matching striped pink and purple denim tights, and dark green boots.

The figure smirked in the darkness and came to stand just in front of the circle of light shining on her.

"How are you feeling today, Cherry Jam?"

Cherry raised her violet eyes, sparking with anger, to him. "Oh yes, I forgot your gag. Forgive me,"said the figure in a voice full of genuine amusement. "I should give you a report on your friends. They've killed some of our soldiers, but no matter. We shall win."

Cherry Jam struggled in the chair. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Cherry. Those ropes hurt, and your Berry Bitty friends can't treat you here. You are a teenager to, remember. I dragged you over the Great Scratch."

The figure reached out with a muscular arm and removes Cherry's gag. She immediately said,"Whoever you are, you'll never win! My friends have the power of friendship of their side, and you have no one!"

He smiled. "Suit yourself. Don't be too disappointed when they die."

Dark, brooding eyes met violet eyes that were seething with anger and frustration.

"Good day to you, Cherry,"said the figure. He reached out to touch Cherry's smooth cheek, and she flinched away in disgust.

He walked over to the door, exited, and slammed it in her face.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: Ok, I won't bother with this bit next time. I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!**

"Our master will succeed," the longhorn spat.

Blueberry stared at it. It had, under fierce questioning, given them some new information. Now they new all the right names for the monsters, and the fact that they were under some master's command.

Was this master a monster too? Or was he (assuming it was a boy) human? Was he - she shuddered to think of it - a teenager like them?

Huck had seen Blueberry shudder, and he moved closer to her so their shoulders touched. He gently put a strong arm around her, and she felt safer than anyone could be. Her fear melted away and she leaned in closer to him as he used his free arm to point his sword, alongside the other boys' various weapons, at the longhorn.

Apple's axe was closest to the monster's neck. If it was a neck. "Any other questions, guys?" he asked, looking up at his eleven friends. They all shook their head no.

The axe went up, and down with a horrible SSHHING. Plum yelped in horror, and Apple whispered something in her ear. She seemed to calm down a little.

Avocado said, straining,"Will somebody PLEASE help me lift this gross lump outside?" He was tugging the longhorn's body, but it was clear that he was struggling. The longhorn was too heavy.

Huck darted forward. He grabbed the other - arm, was it? - and with the help of Huck's strength, the two dragged the body out of the city, just outside the fence.

Blueberry picked up the head by a horn, holding it away from her. "Oh, gross," she muttered, and threw it over the boys' heads and out of the city.

"No, no, we can't just leave it there," called Avocado from outside the fence as Huck and Blueberry opened the gate in the fence.

"What do you mean?" asked Strawberry.

Melon answered her question. "If you leave a monster corpse somewhere, eventually, other monsters will come to pick it up." he explained. "Of course, if other monsters come, they want to attack us, and we get more and more monsters."

Blueberry went back through the gate again. "So we have to take it somewhere far away," she thought aloud.

"That's right!" said Avocado. He leaned towards Huck. "She's really bright, man," he said in a tone of admiration. "Take good care of her."

Huck smiled as Blueberry picked up the head again. "I know," he said.

* * *

The trio had been walking for about five minutes now. The blood red sky shimmered above them, and the glow of the orange sun bathed them in crimson light.

How are they in Berry Bitty City? thought Blueberry. How is Bosley Bookworm, my faithful assistant? Is Berrykin Bloom growing new flowers again? I wonder what Sadiebug and Kadiebug are up to now.

And Cherry, she thought sadly. We didn't even tell her where we were going before she left. She must think we don't like her anymore.

She remembered the time where she'd thought that Huck was writing a song with Cherry Jam, and didn't want to write with her. That was painful. Cherry was a really good friend, but Blueberry had developed strange feelings for Huckleberry Pie. She'd really only wanted to write with him then, but now...

Shut up, me, thought Blueberry.

Then someone - something - clamped a handkerchief over her mouth. She knew it was poisoned as soon as she felt it, and she tried to hold her breath, but she knew she had to breathe eventually. She could make out Avocado falling to the ground, hit from behind, and many creatures trying to hold a shouting Huck. "Blueberry!" she heard him yelling.

She couldn't stand it anymore. "Let them go!" she tried to scream, but the sickly sweet poison was drifting up her nose. Raspberry? she thought dimly. No, this poison was more dark, more sinister, not as pure as Raspberry's.

The last thing she heard was the reassuring sound of Huck's voice, shouting into what was like a cave that lead to infinity.


	14. Chapter 14

**Yes, I'm skipping it - wait, what?! Why am I still writing then?**

**Noooooooo - ok, back to the story. If you want me to add anything, or you think I can improve, don't hesitate to review! I can use all the help I've got!**

"Blueberry! Blue?" someone was saying. "You're ok, you're gonna be fine, I'm here..."

She opened her eyes. She could make out a familiar sparkly pink shirt through - bars?

"_Cherry_?!" Blueberry's eyes snapped open. Her celebrity friend stared worriedly through the iron prison bars that separated them.

The bookworm glanced around her and took in her surroundings. Light came from two light bulbs hanging on thin wires, dangling from the ceiling. Without the lit, she wouldn't have been able to see the iron, heavily locked door in a corner of the small cell. Or Cherry's now teenage face still facing her through the thick bars.

Blue looked at her hands and feet, bound to the chair she was sitting on.

Blueberry had a thousand questions. _Where are we? How did I get here? Cherry, why are you here? You're a teenager!_ she wanted to yell all at once. But she forced herself to keep her calm composure, and asked the most pressing question. "Cherry, tell me what happened."

* * *

Cherry had just been going for a picnic. She was heading for the outskirts of the two Berry cities, a popular picnic spot for berrykins, insects, and humans alike. It was a lovely day, really, and she was bringing out her food and snacks.

After about one hour, she rose and was going to go back to her van. She turned around and staggered back.

A tall boy stood before her. Like, really tall. He could have squashed her with his finger. He wore a black mask over his huge face, so she couldn't see anything but his eyes. Those were a rich, deep brown, so dark they were actually black. His long arms were muscled and a little flip of hair poked out of the top of his mask.

The next thing she knew, he'd covered her with a huge handkerchief. She struggled for air in the little space between the ground and the fabric, but she realized too late the unnatural stink of the air near the handkerchief.

Cherry curled up under the fabric as the poisons sunk in.

* * *

The door to Blueberry's room burst open and the very boy Cherry had been talking about slinked in.

Blueberry tried to make out his face beneath a dark cap set on his eyebrows.

He seemed to study Blueberry carefully. Then he spoke,"I'm betting you want to know why you're here."

Blueberry studied him as well, her wise blue eyes never leaving two darker shadows under the cap that could've been his eyes. "Well?" she demanded.

The teenage boy laughed darkly. "Because, Blueberry Muffin, I saw something in you. Something the others are not aware of yet. And that boy, Huckleberry Pie."

A cold, cold feeling went up Blueberry's spine. She suddenly felt very, very small, and very, very alone, even if Cherry Jam was right next to her. Afraid of the answer, she ignored her own feelings and asked,"What - what did you see?"

The boy laughed again. "You two have power. But you have even more power than Huckleberry does. You, Miss Muffin," he smirked and she growled at him, "have more raw power than all of them combined."


	15. Chapter 15

**You know, I just can't help writing this bit. God help me.**

Huck paced again, back and forth across his room. The gold sword that Blueberry had given him for Christmas lay on his bed, taunting him as he tried to avoid looking at it.

He looked at it, and it reminded him of Blueberry. Her soft brown hair, smelling faintly of blueberry shampoo. Her wise blue eyes that seemed to know everything.

Huck stared at the sword. It glimmered, a beam of light traveling down from the top to the bottom. Like Blueberry's eyes.

He couldn't stand it anymore. Huck picked up the sword at hurled it across the room at a spare dummy that Coconut had made for him.

The sword cut off the dummy's head like it was warm butter.

If only he'd been more careful. If only he'd took the head as well as the body, then Blueberry wouldn't have gone with them. Then maybe she would have had a tiny chance to be alive right now.

When the monsters had kidnapped Blueberry, two monsters leapt on Huck and Avocado. Avocado was immediately knocked out from behind, but Huck's newfound strength helped him avoid the same fate. He struggled and punched the monsters holding him, and they had a rough time, but by then Blueberry had been dragged, unconscious, to a strange purple portal looking hole hovering above the ground. Huck kept screaming her name, trying desperately to make her get up and fight, but he knew that there was nothing he could do. The monsters jumped through with Blueberry, and the monsters holding Huck let go and tried to jump in as well. Huck picked up his sword and threw it through one monster into another, but the last of the trio holding him captive escaped by leaping into the hole.

The brown haired teenager had staggered after the portal, but it spiraled into nothingness with a WHOOSH and disappeared.

Huck forced himself to keep calm. She wouldn't have wanted to see you like this, he thought fiercely.

Maybe she isn't dead, a little voice said meekly to his thunderous temper. Maybe she's -

"She's gone!" Huck yelled at nobody in particular. "Gone! And - " his voice cracked at he sat down dejectedly on his messy bed," - and it's because of me," he said softly.

Huckleberry put his face in his hands and started to cry.

* * *

Strawberry hugged the boy that had stolen her heart. "Cado, please don't cry! You know if you cry I'll cry too," she said, begging.

Avocado was blinking back tears, and when he spoke, his voice broke. "It's just - " he swallowed painfully and Strawberry winced," - if I'd been more careful - "

Strawberry interrupted him. "What could you have done? They wanted to take Blueberry, not you," she pointed out.

Avocado stared at her for a few moments, then leaned forward to kiss her. Their lips brushed, and Strawberry blushed furiously.

The black haired boy sighed as he gazed into her green eyes. "You always know how to comfort me, eh?" he said jokingly.

Strawberry smirked. "I know you," she replied.

The door of Hospital Room 231 banged open, interrupting the two lovers. It was Coconut, and he absolutely frantic. His brown hair was in a mess, and his chocolate brown skin would've been extremely pale. "Bro, it's Plum." he said, breathless.

Strawberry stood. "Not the whole power thing again," she said in a questioning tone, even though from her expression she already knew the answer.

The red haired girl sprinted after Coconut Rum, going through dark alleys and busy streets. Finally she saw the fence in front of Coconut, and a small crowd of assorted citizens standing huddled, Melon and Raspberry looking around for danger.

The former leader of the Berry Bitty Girls pushed her way through the crowd, but she didn't really have to. The boys, girls and cricket guards all made way for her. "Oh god," she murmured when she reached what they were all looking at.

Plum Pudding lay unconscious on the ground, her black hair dangling over the side of Apple's leg. Her head rested on his lap, and every now and Apple checked her pulse.

Obviously they liked each other, Strawberry thought in an eighth of her mind. But the other seven eighths of their head was focused on the horrible sight in front of her.

A dead longhorn was lying on the ground. Typical enough. But the horrible part was its position.

All its limbs were bent at awkward angles, and its face was horribly twisted.

Strawberry gagged. "What - what?" she trailed off halfway through her sentence, unable to describe the moment, but Apple seemed to know what she wanted to know.

"It was creeping up on me," he explained. "Plum freaked out and held out her hands. I don't even know what happened, but I heard it screaming. Probably powers of supreme pain and body control or something."

Strawberry managed a smile. "Blueberry would have written that down," she said, then her smile faded as she thought of her friend.

Apple grimaced, then decided to change the subject. "Hey, let's get Plum indoors," he suggested.

Together, they mourned their genius friend as they hauled Plum up to the hospital.


	16. Chapter 16

**I don't own anything. Oh yes, to answer your question Leah Jo, it's up to you to decide! I'm a believer of strong imagination. But if you asked me how I imagine them, they look like the drawings of the Berry Bitty girls, but with the features I made for them. (I don't remember which chapter. Was it three?). Anyway, thanks for all your support, I will update!**

The eleven teenagers sat in silence around the table as they ate. Huck noticed several of his friends shooting nervous glances at him, as if he was going to explode if they made a noise.

He sighed, and Lemon flinched. The others pretended not to be looking at him as they bent closer to their salad.

Why were they looking at him like that? The answer was simple.

Huck's heart ached painfully again as he thought of Blueberry. She would have loved to write down Plum's and Lemon's new powers - body control/pain and shape-shifting respectively.

It had been almost a week since she had been kidnapped. Huck hadn't ate much, but he was strong as ever. The others obviously didn't think so. They kept telling him to eat, to keep his strength up. No point, Huck wanted to yell.

Strawberry was the only girl who hadn't found her powers yet (apart from Blueberry, but everyone thought as little about her as possible.) She was wondering if she'd ever get her powers.

As the group of friends ate miserably, a distant alarm started wailing.

Cado (that was their new nickname for Avocado Smoothie) was on his feet in a second. "No, not again," he muttered.

Melon yelped and stuffed his sandwich into his mouth. "I'm having lunch, for God's sake!" he cried. "Let a guy take a break for just once."

Raspberry cast a sideways glance at Melon and sniffed. Melon stared back at her, his mouth with half a sandwich poking out. The fashionista turned away and made a face of disgust. Melon, though, grinned at her.

Meanwhile, Cado and Strawberry called the berrykin on duty. "Berrykin Luke! Berrykin Luke!" Avocado yelled into the microphone. The other end of the phone crackled, and a strangely familiar voice spoke.

"Hello, Avocado Smoothie," it said, the sound full of hate and mockery.

The leader of the boys in the City in the Ash choked and dropped the phone. Strawberry caught it just before it hit the ground. Glaring at Avocado, who looked as if he'd seen a ghost, she said carefully into the phone,"May I ask who this is?"

The deep voice chuckled darkly. "Oh, I think Avocado can answer that."

Avocado stood straighter in fury. "I know, alright," he snapped. "You're Obsidian!"

The other boys, apart from Huck, all gasped and started muttering curses.

But no matter how confused they were then, it was nothing to compare with the effect of the next sentence. "Oh yes! I forgot. I have someone for you, Huckleberry Pie. Actually, two."

Huck stiffened, but walked over to the phone and pried it from Strawberry's frozen fingers. Strawberry couldn't believe how brave he was being.

The brown haired boy fought to keep his voice straight as he asked,"Yes?"

The voices of Blueberry Muffin and Cherry Jam came from the other end. "Huck!" Cherry cried. Blueberry said,"Uh, hey?"


	17. Chapter 17

**Tell me if I should stop writing this (just say yes and save me from this!). Enjoy, and like I said before, please review if you want me to improve or add anything.**

He could feel his fists clenching and unclenching, then finally tightening them so hard his bones were sticking out at horrifying angles. Behind him, he could hear Coconut, the African-American, walk up to him. "Huck, you ok, man?" he asked softly.

Huck slammed the phone back onto the wall and ran up to his room, taking the steps four at a time. "Huck!" one of the girls called, but he kept running.

Punching the door to his room open wasn't going to help, he knew, but he did it anyway. He marched in, grabbed his sword, charged back out again, and slammed the door. Jumping down the stairs a flight at a time wasn't going to help either, but he did it anyway.

If he'd thought this way before, then ordering Blueberry to stay inside the city wasn't going to help, but he should have done it anyway.

And now she was in danger, and so was Cherry Jam.

Huck had always had mixed feelings about Cherry. She was a very pleasant girl, and if he didn't have a crush on Blueberry, she would have been his second choice (though there was a big gap between the two girls on Huck's love scale). Even so, she was definitely worth saving, and Huck's anger was not only for Blueberry.

That reminded him of the time that he was composing a song with Cherry for Blueberry. The bookworm had wanted to write a Patty Persimmon fanfiction for the Berry Bitty Press or something, but Huck had been kind of nervous. He had never been a very good writer, unlike Blueberry. So he'd decided to write a song, telling her how much he needed her, but then she'd took it the wrong way when she saw Huck secretly meeting Cherry Jam, composing a "romantic" song.

He'd really, honestly, only liked Blueberry as a friend, but now it was different, no matter how much he didn't want to admit it.

He swore to himself that he'd punish that wormhole - Obsidian, whoever he was - as much as Blueberry wanted him to.

* * *

Blueberry sat, bound, on the earth just outside the fence. She lowered her head and said a prayer for the dead Berrykin, lying on the ground a few meters away. She shifted a bit closer to Cherry, who was crying, to put a bit of distance between herself and the corpse.

Thanks to the phone call, she now knew who their kidnapper was. _Obsidian_. God, even his name sounded dark. But he was pretty muscular from what she'd seen, anyway. Not like those weird Goth monsters that served as some of his minions. Gross.

The brown haired genius wished she had her notebook. Most of her friends had probably found their powers now.

Obsidian was leaning against the fence just in front of the two girls. For once, he looked slightly uncomfortable. Blueberry didn't know why. He was winning, wasn't he? By capturing two of the teenagers' friends? But Blueberry did notice that Avocado, on the other end, had known his name even without knowing him...or did they know each other?

Finally, Cherry broke the silence. "What are you going to do to us?" she sniffed, her voice cracking.

Obsidian laughed darkly. "When your friend Huck comes out," he spat,"I'll have a little bargain with him."

The pop star's bottom lip trembled. "Why are you doing this to us?" she cried. "We've done nothing wrong-"

"Shut up!" His hand lashed out before Blueberry could move and suddenly Cherry was holding her cheek and blinking back more tears.

Blueberry out her arms around Cherry. She glared at Obsidian, who'd suddenly shrank back and was staring at Cherry.

All her words died in her throat. She could see their kidnapper's face.

Black hair swept over his brow to the left side of his face. His eyes were a rich, dark, brooding color and he had a strong nose.

Wow, Blueberry thought. Could kidnappers be this handsome?


	18. Chapter 18

**One word - enjoy.**

Huck fought through the waves of monsters, stabbing through three at a time, kicking one into another. Nothing could stop him.

So he thought.

She appeared out of nowhere, yelling his name. He glanced over. Of course he did. He couldn't take his eyes off her. His "book" (Huck laughed at his own inside joke) of treasure. Gone for so long, yet back again.

She was making a stop motion with her hands, though - palms up, facing him. Huck was puzzled. Why would she want him to stop? He was pretty sure she wanted him to stop, though.

He felt torn, betrayed. He was fighting for _her_, yet she wanted him to stop!

Oh yeah? he thought. For once, I'll do what I want to.

Slashing his way through screaming creatures, he made his way towards her, slowly, deliberately. But he could feel parts of his mind crying for him to stop, to listen to her. Blueberry Muffin was crying.

Huck stopped. But he felt something sinister, cold, evil behind him. Turning, he found himself facing a teenage boy just like himself. The newcomer had handsome features, dark and strong.

Obsidian.

Huck watched as Blueberry's kidnapper smiled. "Greetings, Huck," he said. His voice was deep and rich. Huck felt kind of jealous. "I have a bargain for you."

Bargains? Huck thought. Well, that can't be good.

This was confirmed when he whipped around and saw two monsters struggling with a squirming Blueberry between them. Then he felt four pairs of hands grip his shoulders. He put up a fight, of course, but the more he fought the more monsters Obsidian ordered to hold him. How could he win a battle against seven monsters, unarmed?

Huck growled at Obsidian. The other boy only laughed, and with a twitch of his finger, Huck's other friends were dragged out of the shadows. All the teens were bound and gagged. But wait - seven, eight - there was one person missing. Huck counted again, and swallowed a laugh. Lemon wasn't present. Hmmmm...

Obsidian's voice broke into Huck's thoughts. "Would you like to hear my bargain?" he said. A monster hurried in, and put down a little twisted stool. Obsidian sat down on it, like he'd rehearsed this with the monster. He didn't wait for Huck's reply before continuing. "I was thinking along these lines." He brought out a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket. Huck tried to not read it and turn his head away, but two monsters forced his neck back again.

The paper looked like this:

BARGAIN

Cherry Jam free: No war

Blueberry Muffin free: Declaration of war on the City in the Ash

Both prisoners free: War on City in the Ash _and _the Berry Cities

The words swirled around in Huck's head, uncomprehending. Then they finally settled down, and branded themselves like a hot iron.

_War on City in the Ash and Berry Cities. __War on City in the Ash and Berry Cities. __War on City in the Ash and Berry Cities. __War on City in the Ash and Berry Cities._

_War on Berry Cities._

By now, the paper had been passed around for all the teens to see. Cado tried to speak. "Obsidian, what did we ever - "

But Obsidian interrupted him. "This is Huck's decision, and his decision only." He grinned wickedly at the brown haired boy.

And Blueberry was crying again.

Huck was dimly aware of one of the Ash boys apologizing over and over again for getting their cities mixed up in this.

Berry Big City was his home. And his pets? What would become of them?

Actually, what hurt most was the thought of the destruction of Berry Bitty City. Huck loved that place so much it hurt. And how could he see his friends in such pain if it was destroyed?

Yet he couldn't just take Cherry and leave Blueberry. But he couldn't just take Cherry either.

_What am I going to do?_


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry for not updating so long, was a little busy! Anyways, enjoy, and as always, if you have any suggestions, feel free to post a review and I will see if I can improve or not. Thanks for all the support!**

The group waited in a silence that seemed to go on forever. Blueberry could hear every intake of breath, every second ticking past. She glanced at Huck, who had an expression of anguish on his face. She wanted to comfort him, but obviously her arms were still pinned by the two monsters on either side of her.

She remembered the horrible look of hatred on his face. Blueberry knew that he only wanted to defend her, but... Those burning eyes, that twisted sneer...it made her stomach flip over. Somehow she knew it wasn't Huck.

The silence suddenly broke and everyone started at Obsidian's voice. "Of course, I'll let you revive your berrykins before you made your decision," he said casually.

What? Revive? Blueberry was, for once in her young life, confused. Had Obsidian gone mad?

The others seemed to echo her thoughts. "What?" Plum squawked.

Obsidian blinked. "You know, revive," he repeated. "I know you guys wanna get out of this, but seriously, that is the worst joke ever."

"We have absolutely no idea what you are talking about," Melon confessed.

"I - that note! You guys have a twisted sense of humor, don't you?" Obsidian laughed.

Apple stared at him. "Dude. We're not joking. What are you talking about?"

"The day I left! I left you all a note on the table!" Obsidian screamed.

Blueberry made a timeout gesture with her hands. "_Left_? Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down!"

Coconut smiled nervously. "Obsidian, girls...we better come inside, however much the idea of inviting your kidnapper in is ridiculous."


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's note: I'm SO sorry for not writing! I've just been too lazy and stuff - don't kill me. This is just a short chapter to recap what's been going on, because the next bit is going to be SUPER important. I will write soon this time, because I want to finish this thing and finally put my thoughts down before I forget them. As always, I do not own anything apart from the storyline and the new characters.**

The light bulb above the table was too naked and too bright, leaving a violent purple blot that turned green when she blinked. Feet shifted uneasily under the steel table, winding around the legs of old chairs or swinging then stopping when they hit the ground. Someone was in the toilet upstairs - the rushing sound of water changed directions with the sewage pipe, and Lime managed a smile before it abruptly faded.

They were in the City of Ash prison interrogation room. It wasn't too small or too large, and whoever designed it had tried to make it less pressurizing for the person being interrogated, because the wallpaper was decorated with pink hearts, and there was a furry blue carpet on the ground. This only made it more awkward for the thirteen teenagers inside, and every once in a while Apple cleared his throat to try and break the silence. Obsidian sat moodily on the edge of his seat, and Avocado was clutching a spear just in case the former tried anything. Lemon had been found as a lone bee that was trying to find the others. When she turned back into herself, she said,"Well, bees are cute, so..."

Blueberry was ironically late again, and it reminded Strawberry of the day when she had burst into the Berry Cafe with that book and first told them about the City in the Ash. How far they had come from then, how much more mature! Not just physically, of course. The girls had finally reached reality. Life was unfair, innocent people were killed, and for what? Somebody's self-interest?

But there were good things that came with their journey. She had met Avocado, who acted cool but was actually really sweet. No, not only Strawberry herself. Lemon had Lime, Plum had Apple, Orange had Coconut, Raspberry had Melon (though she'd never admit it) and Blueberry and Huck could finally develop their relationship.

Strawberry's thoughts were interrupted when Blueberry finally burst in, panting, with her notebook and pencil. Muttering an apology, she seated herself next to Huck. The interrogation had started.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's note: Told you I'd write this chapter faster!**

"I was always different, somehow the dark guy who no one liked. I was a bully, and a jerk. But-" and here Obsidian paused dramatically,"-I still had a conscience, and I knew when to stop. Right, guys?" he added sarcastically.

Coconut snorted, but Melon had a kind of sad smile on his face. "Yeah, you were a jerk," he said, in an almost amused tone.

Blueberry scratched away in her blue notebook, and Strawberry leaned forward. The girls were listening intently, and it had come as a huge shock to them to learn that Obsidian had once been the boys' friend. Huck scratched away at a piece of paper, doodling pictures of two certain people doing certain things in a certain place - it was from Blueberry's notebook, and so was the pen. "Go on."

The dark-haired boy suddenly looked uneasy. "One day, I had a huge fight with the cops. These dudes here bailed me out and took me home," he gestured at the boys. "We argued so ferociously about justice and stuff that I decided that I couldn't take it anymore. I left that night, taking almost everything to do with me - photos, belongings, it was like I had never been there. And here's where I can't go on, because I don't know why you guys are lying."

"Whatddya mean, lying? We're not lying!" Lime protested, indignant.

"Oh, yeah?" Obsidian countered snappily. "What about the _very obvious note I left?!_"

Avocado Smoothie finally barged into the conversation. "What note are you talking about?! There was nothing that you left us!"

The criminal smiled sarcastically. "Even you, Avocado? Really, guys? This is getting-" but then he suddenly stopped, and his eyes widened. "Wait, wait - you _didn't _see it at all? I left it on the table!"

Apple frowned. "Dude, we're not trying to confuse you, us, or the girls, or anybody. _We didn't see anything_."

Obisidian looked like a different person. His breathing was shallow, his hair slightly messy, and in his eyes actual fear. He pounded the table with his fists. "You're kidding. Then all those attacks I sent - the berrykins on watch!"

"They died, Obby," Melon whispered, his voice cracking in the middle. Raspberry moved closer to him, and leaned her head on his shoulder. He put his head on hers. "They're dead."

"So you didn't get the note."

Plum sighed. "No, we didn't."

"So you didn't get the instructions."

Huck glanced up from his doodling. "What instructions?"

"Obby" sunk into his chair. His eyes were defeated. "Guys, I'll explain everything from the beginning, okay?"

"I grew up here, like you all, without parents. I was curious. How were we created? How was everything created? No one seemed to know what a parent was. I bet you do now," he said, gesturing around him.

He was right. Before she'd crossed the scar in the earth, Blueberry had never thought about her birth, or the thought of her even having relatives. Those concepts just didn't exist in her head. But then she'd been transformed into a teenager, and the word "family" suddenly appeared in her head. Who was she, really?

Obsidian continued. "But I did - I'd always known. I bet for the boys here, who've never crossed the Scar, they just realized what 'family' is." The boys nodded slowly, because he had guessed right. They had no idea what family was until the girls came. Then the concept had slowly entered their head. Um, as well as a couple of "ideas".

"Of course, I was frustrated that no one understood me. I tried to do everything to make your minds work. Sometimes I took it slow in case it hit you too hard and you had emotional trauma or something, and sometimes I just outright talked about our origins. But it never worked. I even said the word 'parents' once, but you only thought I was talking gibberish.

"I lost hope, and I took it out on others. I didn't want to, I didn't need to, but I was just lost in despair. I always went out exploring, but I never went beyond the volcanoes. There was a feeling, an instinct that told me to turn back. It wasn't my time. Not yet. And so I would always return.

"But that time when they all cornered me and talked about justice and stuff, about equality, about fairness...that really ticked me off. What would they know about fairness when my whole life had been unfair? And so I left.

"Now about that time, the city was a mess. Citizens argued and fought amongst themselves about justice and stuff, mayors were murdered, plenty of unfair crime. No one was united. They had no pride as a city.

"And I couldn't stand it. So I finally went beyond the Scar, I came to the Berry Bitty Cities, and I used some mushrooms and the magic that makes berrykins talk to create monsters to attack the City in the Ash. I figured that I would have to give you a reason to unite as one. And you did.

"But I left a note the day I left, on the table - it taught you how to revive people who were injured. No one was supposed to die." Obsidian looked down, and Blueberry could have sworn he was crying.

The silence that followed stretched for eternity, interrupted only by the swish of water upstairs.


	22. Chapter 22

**Major emotional chapter! Yeah, I guess I lied - this chapter took me a long while. *nervous laughter***

Blueberry swung her hip and bumped the door open, carefully keeping her hands level so as to not spill the water in the paper cup on the tray. However, the lid on the main course shifted a little, and the perfectionist frowned. It was obviously a huge problem. The girl poked uncertainly at the lid and it slid back into place, earning a sigh of relief and continued steps.

It was a bright morning - Obsidian the "bad guy" and his henchmen had supposedly been defeated, the other teens were still snoring away on their beds, and the brainiac was on the prisoner's breakfast duty. She didn't mind, though. She found amusement in the tormented expression Obby would put on when he tasted the iron chips she'd snuck into his pasta.

The idea of keeping the truth from the citizens of Big Garden City - the City in the Ash's true name - was Lemon's. "Maybe it's better if they keep thinking their berrykins died heroically. They did, of course, but...not in the way they thought," she had suggested timidly. They all agreed, and the "death" of Obsidian was not shown because of "violence problems".

Blueberry pushed the doorbell with her head. The so called prisoner was actually pretty much free to roam, since they didn't have the heart to wrap a sobbing wreck in chains. He preferred to stay inside anyway, sitting in a corner and messing with his life in general.

"Hey," Obsidian greeted with a hint of friendliness as he pushed the door open. "Are you going to poison me again?"

She smiled wickedly. "Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions," she teased. Blueberry set down the meal on his table. "Cherry made it again, so you don't have to worry about my cooking or Huck's anymore, for that matter."

"Glad to hear it." His face suddenly grew serious. "Why does that Jam girl keep making stuff for me? It's almost freaky!"

Blueberry laughed. "That's so mean! She just appreciates you not killing everyone, I guess."

"Yeah, because that's so heroic and brave."

Suddenly the door opened with a BANG. They turned around and found Cherry in the doorway. "Good morning," she said breathlessly.

"Good morning!" Blueberry greeted cheerfully, while Obby muttered,"Oh, it's that Jam girl again."

Cherry skipped to the prisoner's side. "Um, do you like the breakfast?" she asked hopefully.

"Er," Obsidian started. "Well, I haven't actually started eating yet -".

"Would you like me to feed you, then?" Cherry said bluntly.

...

Obsidian's cheeks turned bright red and Blueberry gaped at Cherry's back like a dying fish. "That...won't be necessary," he mumbled awkwardly.

"Really?"

"I'm shore. No, sure. Yeah, sure."

Cherry giggled - or squealed, Blueberry couldn't even tell. "Aww, your mistakes are so adorable, Obster!"

_Obster? OBSTER?! What is going on?!_ Obsidian stared hard at the bluish brunette.

_I dunno, she never acts this way! _Blueberry stared back.

Obsidian gave her a look like:_ Call the authorities!_

"Umm...ok, but I still don't need help from you," Obsidian reassured. Perhaps the singer took it the wrong way, because her face darkened so drastically that he winced.

"So you need someone else's help? Like..._Blueberry's_?"

Obsidian groaned. "I mean, I'LL EAT BY MYSELF."

"You sure?" Cherry had regained her cheery mood.

"Yeah."

She pouted. "Fine, but I'll feed you tomorrow then," she bargained. He only nodded weakly.

The singer then skipped back to the door, waved cheerfully at Obby, and gave Blueberry a final glare before popping back out again.

Blueberry and Obby slowly turned to look at each other. Then both collapsed with laughter.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF BERRIES WAS THAT?!" Blueberry chortled.

"YOU THINK I WOULD KNOW?!" he choked back.

After spending a good morning with him, Blueberry left the room, convinced that something was going on between Cherry and Obby.


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: Yikes, I should finish this. Yikes, I'm finishing this. Yikes, the ending is horrible. Final note at the end - read it if ya want.**

Blueberry groaned. "Cran, really? Momma's trying to work."

Her daughter, Cranberry Purée, smiled sheepishly over her piano. "Sorry, Momma."

She sighed and got up, going over to pick up the small four-year-old. "That's ok. I've got writers' block anyway." Blueberry shook her brown hair back from her shoulders and Cran latched do on to her mother's collar. "Let's see if we can join the boys."

Twelve years had passed since the "Big Change", as they liked to call it. Everyone had settled down and all of them lived in small, happy families. Well, small, but big if you counted the fact that they saw each other daily and met up every other day. Their kids were all friends, just like they had been before, now, and in the years to come.

Blueberry's power had been revealed to be telekinesis. Nobody had been too surprised. She'd just been reaching for a book and it just levitated into her reaching hand one day. That had been more than a decade ago, though, when they were still recovering from the victory over Obsidian and the City in the Ash.

Ah, Obsidian.

It had turned out that Cherry's strange behavior was caused by her developing feelings for her former "villain", and that it was pretty much a mild case of Stockholm Syndrome. Mild, the doctor had said. Mild, they repeated amusedly while stalking the pair on their first date. Mild, they repeated, crying tears of joy at their wedding. Mild, they repeated fondly, gazing at their firstborn, wailing "musically" in a cot at the local hospital.

Mild, indeed.

Strawberry had been shocked and heartbroken when she learned that she had no power at all. Or so she thought, until Cado reminded her that her power to bring people together was plenty enough. Maybe that was why she agreed to marry him.

A football smashed into the wall above the entrance to the garden. "Huck!"

Her husband looked assaulted. "Me?! That was Raisin! Don't look at me like that!"

Grape "Raisin" Roll gaped, horrified, at his father. "That was SO obviously your kick, Dad!"

Blueberry shot Huck a glare, who shrunk away. "Wait, wait, you trust a eight-year-old more than your loving, faithful, obedient husband?!"

Cran giggled and Blueberry said loudly,"I don't care. You'd better have cleaned that stain on the wall up there by four thirty, because company comes at five."

"Blue, Cado won't care."

"Raspberry and Lemon sure will. Do it, Huck."

Raisin grinned and high-fived his little sister gently as Huckleberry Pie groaned and went to get a ladder and a cloth.

The fourteen teens, back then, had decided to build a small village between the Berry Cities and the City in the Ash, and name it "the Berry Magical City" based on their supernatural abilities. Houses were built, a town hall was constructed, roads laid out and trade routes planned and marked. Soon, Berrykins from the Berry Cities and the City in the Ash flooded in to contribute to the small population. Strawberry was made "mayor" and the girls all moved their shops from Berry Bitty City to their new home. The boys came to accompany the girls without hesitation (even Obby, yes, who lived in constant disguises so as not t be found out by his people).

Lemon and Lime arrived first, with their daughter Citron in tow. Fortunately for Huck, the stain above the garden entrance was inspected and examined and deemed acceptable by Blueberry. Strawberry, Plum, and Orange arrived next. Raspberry arrived last, unsurprisingly, as she had brought gifts for each child and dressed up like a star. Cherry was out of town, but Obsidian came along with Aaron, their son, "just to scare the kids", he insisted.

They ate the spaghetti that Orange brought like a huge, loud family and the kids played hide-and-seek while the adults watched a movie. This was their usual schedule, they supposed,and it probably would be until the end of their days.

Indeed, time had started moving for them, and to be honest they were all grateful deep down, although they'd never admit it. They all wanted to watch their children grow up and when they did, the fourteen friends would retire in happiness, linked forever by their unbreakable friendship.

* * *

**Right. Here goes nothing.**

**Thank you everyone who reviewed, followed or even ****read this story - it was my first fanfic and I know how bad my writing skills were when I started this. Truly, truly thank you. Special thanks to BlueVanilla79, who stuck with my trash can of an idea the whole time (she's awesome. Check out her work, guys, it's amazing.)**

**Strawberry Shortcake, in general, has led me through my childhood years and inspired me since I could walk. I have seriously enjoyed writing this, even though it's horrible, and I don't think I will pull this down to be honest (just leaving this cringey crap here for you guys). And if you're here I'm assuming that you read through this whole thing, so I really hope you enjoyed this small idea that came to me one day and that I wanted to share with all of you.**

**Thank you.**


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